But the Mountain Breaking Spear Technique was ultimately unlike barehanded martial arts. It was an external weapon, requiring a person and weapon to be tempered together over a long time to cultivate Spear Sense.
Though Wang Yuan had Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone as his foundation and possessed extraordinary comprehension,
after several days of bitter training, his progress still seemed slow.
Those exquisite techniques of exerting force, grasping the right timing, and shifting strength could never be fully mastered merely by practicing against thin air.
"Building a cart behind closed doors will never make a great vessel."
Wang Yuan put away his White Wax Wood spear, his brows slightly furrowed.
He could clearly feel that he had fallen into a bottleneck.
Relying on solitary cultivation alone, the rate at which his spear technique improved was far below his expectations.
He recalled his master Zheng Shan's words—the spear placed even greater emphasis on real combat.
"I need an opponent! Only through genuine exchanges can I become familiar with the nature of the spear more quickly and comprehend the true essence of spear techniques!"
A thought took shape in his heart.
There were many martial halls in Gaoye City's Outer City. Besides Panshi Fist Academy, there were places such as Flowing Cloud Martial Hall and Mountain Severing Sect, each skilled in its own weapons.
Among them was a Flowing Cloud Martial Hall famed for its spear techniques. It was said that its hall master's Flowing Cloud Spear Technique had reached a miraculous level, swift as the wind.
"I'll go to Flowing Cloud Martial Hall!"
Wang Yuan's gaze flashed, and he made his decision in an instant.
Using sparring as a pretext to cross weapons with opponents proficient in spear techniques was undoubtedly the fastest path to improving his own spear technique.
He did not act rashly. Instead, he first sought out his Senior Disciple Brother Shi Long and explained his idea.
After hearing him out, Shi Long's bull-like eyes widened.
His fan-sized hand slapped Wang Yuan's shoulder hard as he laughed heartily.
"Good lad! You've got guts!"
"So you found practicing punches behind closed doors boring and wanted to challenge a martial hall... ah, no, go spar?"
"No problem! Your senior brother will accompany you."
"Perfect timing. Let's see what you've managed to make of that wooden spear these past few days!"
With Shi Long, a great expert of the Third Blood Change, accompanying him, Wang Yuan felt even more at ease.
After making a few preparations, the two headed straight for Flowing Cloud Martial Hall.
Flowing Cloud Martial Hall stood on the other side of the South District. Though its frontage was not as imposing as Panshi Fist Academy's, it was still quite neat and orderly.
At this moment, the atmosphere inside Flowing Cloud Martial Hall was lively.
By the Training Ground,
a youth in white, handsome in appearance and holding a White Wax Wood spear, was spinning dazzling spear flowers, drawing rounds of cheers from the surrounding disciples.
He was Li Liang, one of Flowing Cloud Martial Hall's most outstanding disciples in recent years.
At only nineteen, he had already cultivated the Flowing Cloud Spear Technique to Minor Accomplishment, while his martial cultivation had reached the Perfection of the First Blood Change.
He was only one step away from the Second Blood Change and was praised as the martial hall's "little spear genius."
"Senior Brother Li is amazing! His Flowing Cloud Spear Technique is simply miraculous!"
A pretty junior sister with admiration in her eyes clapped and praised him.
She was the hall master's daughter, Zhao Ling'er.
Li Liang felt pleased by her words. A confident smile curled across his lips, and the spear in his hand danced even more freely and gracefully.
But just then, a commotion arose at the martial hall entrance.
Two uninvited guests walked in.
The leader stood eight feet tall, with knotted muscles and a body like an iron tower. It was Shi Long of Panshi Fist Academy.
Following behind him was a sturdy youth whose skin had been tanned bronze from years of practicing martial arts outdoors. His features could only be called proper—Wang Yuan.
Their arrival instantly drew everyone's attention, and the lively atmosphere of training abruptly stalled.
Shi Long casually cupped his fists, his voice ringing like a great bell. "Everyone of Flowing Cloud Martial Hall, I'm Shi Long of Panshi Fist Academy, and this is my junior brother, Wang Yuan."
"I heard your hall's spear techniques are peerless. My junior brother here has only learned the spear for a few days, and his hands are itching. He came especially to ask for a few pointers and exchange techniques through sparring!"
"Since outstanding disciples of Panshi Fist Academy have come to spar, how could Flowing Cloud Martial Hall shut them out? Please, come in."
A lean, capable-looking middle-aged man in a blue fitted outfit stepped forward. He was Zhao Chuan, one of Flowing Cloud Martial Hall's spear instructors.
His gaze swept over Shi Long and lingered on him for a moment, a trace of gravity flashing through his eyes.
Then it settled on Wang Yuan, filled with scrutiny.
"I am Zhao Chuan, an instructor of Flowing Cloud Martial Hall."
"May I ask how this little brother wishes to spar?" Zhao Chuan asked Wang Yuan in a mild tone.
Wang Yuan stepped forward and cupped his fists. "Instructor Zhao, I am Wang Yuan. I have only recently begun learning the spear, practicing the Mountain Breaking Spear Technique passed down by my master."
"I came uninvited today only because I wish to find several senior brothers skilled with the spear, meet spear with spear, spar and verify each other's techniques, stopping at the proper point."
His tone was sincere, and his manner neither arrogant nor impetuous. The slight displeasure in Zhao Chuan's heart dissipated somewhat.
"I see."
Zhao Chuan nodded.
"Since you have come to make friends through the spear, our martial hall naturally welcomes you."
"A spar?"
Li Liang frowned, his gaze falling on Wang Yuan.
Seeing his dark skin, ordinary appearance, and Panshi Fist Academy training clothes, a trace of disdain rose in his heart.
Panshi Fist Academy?
Wasn't that a place for practicing fists?
And they had come to Flowing Cloud Martial Hall, renowned for spear techniques, to spar with spears?
What a display of skill before an expert!
Zhao Ling'er also curled her lips and said softly to Li Liang,
"Senior Brother, look at him. He's so dark-skinned. One look tells you he only knows how to stupidly train his strength."
"Someone from Panshi Fist Academy coming here to spar with spears is clearly here to pick a fight."
"Senior Brother, you must teach him a proper lesson later and let him know how formidable our Flowing Cloud Spear Technique is!"
Hearing this, Li Liang's pride swelled further, and the way he looked at Wang Yuan gained several degrees of provocation.
Instructor Zhao Chuan was also somewhat displeased, feeling that Panshi Fist Academy was being rather too full of itself.
He was considering which disciple to send forward—someone who could preserve the martial hall's dignity without making the other side lose too badly.
At that moment, Li Liang voluntarily stepped forward and cupped his fists toward Zhao Chuan.
"Instructor, this disciple is willing to spar with Junior Brother Wang and experience the brilliant techniques of Panshi Fist Academy!"
He deliberately stressed the words "brilliant techniques."
Zhao Chuan looked at the supremely confident Li Liang.
Then he looked at Wang Yuan, whose aura was steady but who was clearly much younger.
He thought that Li Liang had reached Minor Accomplishment in spear techniques and was close to the Second Blood Change. Dealing with a Panshi Fist Academy disciple who had only learned the spear for a few days should be more than easy.
This was the perfect chance to dampen Panshi Fist Academy's swagger and give Li Liang some real combat experience as well.
"Good! You shall fight."
Zhao Chuan nodded in agreement, then turned to Shi Long. His tone shifted, carrying a trace of shrewdness.
"Brother Shi Long, since it is a spar, coming empty-handed would be rather dull."
"How about we add a wager?"
"If Flowing Cloud Martial Hall loses, I, Zhao, will offer a treasured Crimson Blood Ginseng. It will be greatly beneficial to martial artists in the Blood Exchange Realm."
"But if your junior brother loses..."
Shi Long's expression immediately became somewhat strange.
He looked at the eager Li Liang in the arena, then at the calm-faced Wang Yuan, and understood the situation as clearly as a mirror.
Though his junior brother's spear technique was immature, that monstrous strength and Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone physique...
A mere martial artist at the Perfection of the First Blood Change was probably not even worth looking at.
This wager was practically being given away for free!
A troubled expression appeared on his face.
But in Zhao Chuan's eyes, it looked like a sign of guilty conscience.
Zhao Chuan secretly rejoiced, thinking Shi Long had overestimated himself and was about to suffer a loss.
"What? Brother Shi Long, don't dare?"
Zhao Chuan deliberately provoked him.
Shi Long sighed "helplessly" and said in a deep, muffled voice, "Fine! Since Instructor Zhao is in such high spirits, I'll take the bet."
"If my junior brother loses, I'll put up a bottle of Bone Quenching Paste!"
Bone Quenching Paste!
It was likewise a highly valuable cultivation resource.
The delight in Zhao Chuan's eyes deepened. He felt victory was already in his grasp.
The surrounding disciples of Flowing Cloud Martial Hall also began discussing it, most of them backing Li Liang.
"Senior Brother Li will definitely win!"
"Let the people from Panshi Fist Academy see what true spear technique looks like!"
"That dark kid doesn't look like much. Senior Brother Li can finish him in three moves!"
Amid everyone's gazes and cheers, Li Liang and Wang Yuan each took up a spear and walked to the center of the Training Ground.
With a flick of his wrist, Li Liang spun his White Wax Wood spear into a beautiful spear flower. His bearing was graceful and unrestrained, drawing another wave of cheers from Zhao Ling'er and the others.
He looked at Wang Yuan, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt.
"Junior Brother Wang, go ahead! This senior brother will go easy on you."
Wang Yuan merely tightened his grip around his spear, its tip angled toward the ground, and said in a deep voice,
"Senior Brother Li, please instruct me."
The atmosphere instantly became taut as drawn swords and nocked bows!
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